1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to self propelled, multiwheeled vehicles. In its aspects it relates to accessories for multiwheeled vehicles. In one of its aspects, it relates to increasing the comfort level of riding a self propelled, multiwheeled vehicle. In another of its aspects, it relates to increasing the safety of riding a self propelled, multiwheeled vehicle. More particularly it relates to providing a foot rest for either the operator position or the passenger position of a multiwheeled vehicle. In a more particular aspect, the invention relates to telescoping foot rests for self propelled, multiwheeled vehicles and, most particularly, relates to self-retracting, telescoping foot rests for self propelled, two wheeled vehicles.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Most self-propelled, multiwheeled vehicles, such as motorcycles and motorbikes, are now built to accommodate not only an operator of the vehicle but also a passenger who rides on a seating area behind the operator. In both the operator and passenger positions the comfort of the rider can be enhanced by providing a foot rest, commonly called a foot peg, allowing the legs of the rider to be in a position that is more stretched out and thereby more comfortable than the bent knee position most commonly required by the pedal-type foot rests built into most motorized cycles.
A major problem with foot pegs that are added to the profile of one of these vehicles has been the length of the protrusion of the foot pegs from the sides of the vehicle. The foot pegs can become more and more hazardous to a rider, to the vehicle itself and to objects beside the vehicle as the length of the extension is increased unless provision is made to limit the extension of the foot pegs when not in service. This problem has been solved variously by providing folding foot pegs or foot pegs that can be expanded from a telescoped position to an extended position.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,794,353 is typical of road vehicle foot rests shown in the patented art that provide a bar with fold-up portions at its extremities. The bar can be attached to the frame of the vehicle so that the fold-up portions in the extended position provide a foot rest and in the folded position lie against the side of the vehicle. This addresses the problem of shortening the extended foot rest both when in service and when not in service.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,797,791 is another example of a foot peg with a fold-up portion. This foot peg, however, discloses the added benefit of the inclusion of a light at the outer end of the foot peg. The light serves as a safety device by delimiting the width of the vehicle for approaching vehicles.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,524,918 discloses a motorcycle with a footrest for a passenger. This footrest is attached to a portion of the motorcycle to provide relief from the danger of the passenger's legs contacting the hot exhaust pipes of the motorcycle. The footrest is designed, on being screwably released from the telescoped position, to automatically extend by spring action to an increased length. The footrest can be compressed back to its telescoped, i.e. non-extended, length and resecured in that position by a screw mechanism.
As set out above, the prior art discloses extendable foot rests, including lighted foot rests, for self propelled, two wheeled vehicles. U.S. Pat. No. 5,524,918 seems to be unique in its disclosure of a spring-loaded, automatically, extendable foot peg. The terminology "automatically, extendable" describes the fact that the spring loading of the foot peg disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,524,918 automatically extends the foot peg which must be manually, retracted by telescoping the elements of the foot peg and then securing the foot peg in the retracted position using a screw mechanism.
Note that in the following disclosure the terms "automatically retractable" or "automatically telescopeable" are used to denote that the neutral state or state to which the inventive device should return when not in service is with the extendable portion retracted or telescoped with the support portion to shorten the device or, in other words, that, except for being secured in the service position, the device would return to the retracted state.
It is therefore an object of this invention to provide an extendable apparatus that (1) has a non-extended mode as its usual position which (2) can be secured in an extended position, but which (3) will automatically return to the non-extended position upon release from the extended position. For this disclosure the apparatus can be defined as being automatically, telescopically retractable.
It is another object of this invention to provide a device that can be attached to the body of a self propelled, vehicle having at least two wheels to provide on either or both sides of the vehicle an extendable, foot peg that is automatically, telescopically retractable.
It is a further object of this invention to provide an extendable foot peg device that is automatically, telescopically retractable that can be attached to one side of the body of a self propelled, vehicle having at least two wheels.
Another object of this invention is to provide an extendable foot peg that can be easily returned to the non-extended position while the vehicle is in service.
It is still another object of this invention to provide an extendable foot peg that is automatically, telescopically retractable that has a means for producing light attached to the portion of the foot peg that can be extended.
These and other objects and advantages of the present invention will become evident to those skilled in the art by reference to the following description and drawings and the appended claims.